Looking Pregnant, But Not

#InvisibleFight #MyInvisibleFight #IIWK #IIWK15 http://invisibleillnessweek.com/ What #Infertility can look like!#IF 

I faced "female problems" from my early teen years. Thirty years later, this picture was taken last week, a few days before my final hysterectomy, which will hopefully lay the consequences of a diseased reproductive system to rest once and for all!

You see, this was actually my second hysterectomy, going back to take my cervix, remaining ovary, and once again (as has been surgically required so many times over the past 20 years) clean out the mess and pain created by Endometriosis. I am 43 years old and dramatically entered menopause in full force last week.

There had been absolutely NO CHANCE of that belly hosting the life of a baby for nearly seven years since I had surgically said farewell to the body of my uterus and first ovary, yet to look at me, all bloated and inflamed, it would have been a common presumption to think I was well-along into pregnancy!

This got me thinking and reflecting on our decade of active infertility. My tummy HAS looked like this before, sometimes, at least six in fact, from the hard-fought blessing of carrying a child within! For all those stretch marks, I am rewarded far beyond anything I had ever dared hope during our infertility years, with three living children in my home today, ages 15, 12 and 9. I do not take them for granted. I so wish I could have worn a t-shirt (or neon sign on my forehead) that read something like, "Don't hate me infertile friend. This baby has been 7 years in the making!" Just because I was finally pregnant, the feelings of infertility were not magically erased! I readily still related much more with the infertile word than the fertile one!

Our living miracles' known siblings who never got to come home would be 20, a likely twin of the 15-year-old, 14, and 13. I am ever so blessed that my womb was their entire earthly home, yet they are still missed! Pregnant tummy mis-speaking about the state of my fertility once again, in each of their cases.

More strangely, my tummy has looked like this before because of the very reality of not being able to conceive! Illness and swelling such as I just pictured , from Endometriosis or other reproductive illness, but also sometimes from PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), in response to fertility drugs, and/or due ovarian hyper-stimulation! What insult, added to injury, to "look pregnant" simply because of whatever condition(s) is causing sub fertility in the first place!

So next time you see a "pregnant" woman, don't presume! Maybe she is. Maybe she isn't. Either way, there may be much more to her story than meets the eye. And to the lady I naively asked how far along you were, 20-some years ago, before I knew better, I'm still so very sorry for the tears I brought to your eyes that day. Please forgive me! - Hannah's Hope by Jennifer Saake (on Facebook)

Picture and article also posted at http://infertilitymom.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-tummy.html - please share!

What Will Heaven be Like?

What I just posted (to another blog), the most personal information I have ever shared online.

Tiniest Taste of Heaven
(After-infertility/loss child, very briefly mentioned in article, but not the focus of the article.)

Creative Desires

"God had the desire to create new life, and he wanted to create it in His own image. If He, being perfect and complete had this desire to create, how could it be selfish or wrong? And because He created us in His image, with many of His attributes, it should come as no surprise that we share His desire to create. If we yearn to take part in the miracle of creating a new life 'in our image' with attributes like our own, and want the intimacy of nurturing our child to maturity, that is only natural. This yearning is God-given and a part of how we are created. It’s no wonder that we can feel jarred and confused when we are unable to fulfill it."

- From, The Ache for a Child, by Debra Bridwell

Birthday Reflections 15 years later

On my 38th birthday I have written a reflective story about the joy and healing God has worked in my heart over the years. This article does include repeated mentions of our three living children, thus I have decided it is not appropriate to post directly to this blog, but it also speaks extensively of our three miscarried children awaiting us in Heaven and the bittersweet joy of healing. Grief is a life-long journey and the lives of our children who touched our womb much too briefly continue to touch my heart to this very day.
If you are prepared to read my post-miscarriage musing (but realize our living kids will be equally as featured) feel free to join me at Birthday Joy.

Anna's story

As we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birthday of our Lord, with all the focus on a pregnant young woman and a tiny newborn Baby, may our Risen Lord comfort each hurting heart and allow us true joy in the wonder of God-become-man for our redemption. Christmas, while yes about a Baby, is also about a Father's first step toward heartbreak at the death of His only Son, all because He understands the longing to grow His family - the death of His Son was the cost of my adoption as His daughter.

The following is copyrighted material and has been adapted from "Pray, Faith, and Compassion," chapter eleven of Hannah's Hope: Seeking God's Heart in the Midst of Infertility, Miscarriage, & Adoption Loss by Jennifer Saake, NavPress, 2005. Please do not duplicate without permission.


The rumors circulated about how Anna had been barren for the seven years her husband lived (see Luke 2:22-38). Others speculated about children that she might have buried along-side her beloved groom. Whatever her true story, they all shook their heads at the shame of her lonely state, without any living male relative to care for her in her advancing years.

Anna commented little on the gossip of the crowd, striving to live gracefully, not giving in to the anger and bitterness that could so easily have ruled her heart. Yes, a lifetime later, she still missed the man who was to have been her life-partner, provider, and protector. While her womb had dried up long ago, some days her arms still longed to be filled by the weight of an infant.

Like Hannah had nearly 1,000 years earlier, Anna took her heartache to the temple. As the years passed by, Anna devoted more and more of her time to prayer and fasting. The life she had envisioned for herself was replaced with a lifestyle of ongoing worship. Those who had once pitied Anna, now sought out the prophetess for her wisdom.

Over the past 400 years since He had last added to His written Word, it sometimes seemed as if God had forgotten His promise to redeem Israel. But Anna's heart was stirred by strange things happening in recent months - Zachariah struck mute while performing his highest yearly duty, Elizabeth a mother in her old age, that young girl from Nazareth the center of scandal as she claimed to be a virgin, yet with child.

This day seemed to Anna like every other, until Simeon (who seemed to be at the temple almost as often as Anna) rushed to the young couple and took in his arms the infant they had brought for circumcision. At that moment Anna realized that all the heartache of her lifetime had been worth this one moment she now witnessed. Had it not been for her life taking so many seemingly "wrong" turns, she would not be in this right place at this perfect time. As the weight of this tiny One filled the ache of her arms, the last remnants of grief were erased from her heart as well. What joy that, as a direct result of years of grief and loneliness, she was now privileged to proclaim the Consolation of Israel!

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

Tomorrow is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day - http://www.october15th.com/

The Harvest Cycle

I had the blessing of sharing with a group of about 30 women from our church this past weekend. God put on my heart the topic of "Harvesting Hope from Heartache" based on Psalm 126:5-6 that says, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him."

God's hand seemed to be upon the entire afternoon and I felt His peace and guidance as I spoke. For the first time ever when doing public speaking, I got up to start without any feelings of of even mild panic nor shaking hands or anything! I had been a bit nervous before hand, but just really felt a great sence of peace all the way around when the time to talk actually came.
It was so encouraging to have my Mom there. I also have a fairly new friend from church that came and she went through a few years of infertility before the birth of her daughter. They are just getting ready to start trying to conceive again after their little miracle, so she's nervous about that journey. Also a lady I met on another message board was there, just a week after her 12-week miscarriage. Another friend there had a daughter who died in infancy about 10 years ago. I don't know everyone else's stories, but several ladies came up to talk afterwards and said that they were blessed, so I'm just praising the Lord right now!

Here's a brief outline of the talk:

Harvest Cycle (After each phase of the cycle are the emotions a grain of wheat might experience as it prepares for its final purpose.)

Planting – darkness, suffocation, loneliness

No one is immune from heartache. Even when I can’t feel Him, God is always there.

I shared the opening portion of Hannah's Hope chapter one, Hannah's loss of innocence and my story of attending a party as an infertile woman, to illustrate the isolation and darkness of the planting season.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? …If I make my bed in the depths, you are there… Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. – From Psalm 139:7-12



Waiting – seemingly endless, pointless, impatience

God’s “protection” may leave me bewildered, but He always has a plan for my good.

Read "Wait", the poem I posted in my previous blog entry.

“…For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11



Sprouting – new, fragile, reaching out

God wants my honesty. Where am I placing my hope?

Shared personal experience of being angry with God, yet being unwilling to admit my anger, followed by the freedom of "letting Him have it" and being truly honest. Also the realization that I was placing my hope in a child rather than in God and the attitude changes He needed to bring about in me.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13



Growing – stretching, exposed to the elements - hot sun, pounding ran, buffeting wind

God is personal. He cares about every need. He wants me to rely on Him.

Personal stories of God meeting me in places of need both in chronic health challenges and in infertility and other desires of my heart like the longing for a piano.

I pray that out of his glorious riches [God, the Father] may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:16-19



Reaping – cut, dry, gather, bundle

God does not intend for me to “do life” alone.

The beauty of fellowship, belonging and finding others who understand by personal experience. Contrast to the lonilness of "planting".

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4



Threshing – separating chaff from good grain, sometimes by stomping or throwing

Sometimes it gets harder before it gets better. God will help me persevere!

Struggle with fears during pregnancy and adjustments in parenthood. Sometimes "having just what I want" isn't quite what I pictured.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4



Refining – grinding, mixing and baking lead to nourishment and pleasure

When seasons of heartache are over, I should celebrate what God has done!

Sometimes rejoicing is obvious, such as celebration over the long-awaited gift of children. Other times it is less obvious, like learning to rejoice in 17 years of ongoing pain and illness. God is good, all the time!

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. – Psalm 126:5-6

explaining my infertility to those who don't know

I've been very vocal about our infertility journey since just a few months into the process. Probably pushing my poor husband and dad way out of their comfort zones on more than one occasion.
Though our active journey through infertility is over, it is still very much a part of who I have become. As I meet new people it doesn't take me long before I share my story. I still cringe when I enter a new group of people and there is nothing but parenthood talk. Who's silently hurting, I wonder???
So after a recent work-from-home chat group I attended where one of the opening questions was, "So who here has kids?" followed by many enthusiastic parents telling all about their little ones, I posted this little story on a work-at-home board in hopes of giving a glimmer of hope to anyone who might not have been able to join that conversation (warning, living children mentioned):

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To look at me now you would never guess the journey that brough us here. I have a 7-year-old, a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old.

But what you don't see when you see me at the park is the nearly 12-year-old daughter who should be with us. Nor the 5 1/2-year-old son. Nor the soon-to-be 5-year-old daughter.

You also don't see our 7 "almost" children ranging in age from 8 to 18 - the ones we invested our hearts and hopes and prayers in, but never got to bring home for a variety of reasons.

You don't see 10 years of tears and anguish and prayers and endless doctor's visits, and coutless negative pregnancy tests, and gallons (at least it seemed that way) of blood work, and pills, and surgeries, and needles, and scheduled marital relations...

For what you do see I am forever thankful, more than words can say. For what you don't see I am forever changed. If there is more to your life than meets the eye, please know that my heart goes out to you today. If I can be of any help, please let me know. And feel free to stop by my support website at www.HannahsHopeBook.com where I post ongoing blog updates to encourage you in this journey.

To the lady in room 212, tearfully remembering your baby today

I do not know your name.
I do not know the circumstances.
I do not even know if the child you grieve is a son or a daughter.
I only know that on this date one year ago today, we shared the labor and delivery wing of the same hospital. And while I went home with a precious miracle, you went home with empty arms and a broken heart.
Within my first hour home from the hospital, I posted a prayer request on the Hannah's Prayer message boards for you and your family. And with every landmark we have celebrated and rejoiced over the life of our son this year, I have carried you in my heart and lifted you before my Father in prayer.
You have made it through your first year now. I wish I had some way to let you know that your baby has forever left an imprint on me; that you are not forgotten.
So today I once again entrust you to the Lord who knows you so deeply that He has numbered the very hairs on your head. May you somehow know the comfort that only He can bring your grieving heart today.

A poem for a friend who lost her daughter

I had the honor of spending a few hours this afternoon with a new friend from church who shared with me the beautiful pictures of her little girl who wasn't due until February but went to be with the Lord at 21 weeks. I took with me a teddy bear that I had stuffed for her along with this poem, written in dedication to her little girl:

Tender Hugs Bear
© Jennifer Saake, 2006 (Please do not duplicate without permission.)
Both bear and poem, lovingly crafted in honor and memory of Sara.


When your grieving heart is aching
And your empty arms too heavy to bear,
Hold me close and hug me tender.
I was stuffed for you with many a prayer!

You have loved and lost. They say you are “so strong”.
But they don’t see your heart weep through endless nights and days so long.
I’m just a simple teddy who can’t hope to cure your pain.
But my fur is here to catch your tears whenever your eyes rain.

With questions and emotions all over the place
And a soul-crushing longing for just one more glimpse of her face
Right now how you wrestle with faith and with fear.
Sometimes God seems unreachably distant, other moments amazingly near!

May my hugs be a reminder of our Father who knows
How painful and daily this grieving thing goes.
He too, watched His precious, beloved Baby go.
And the heartache and anguish, these well He does know!

This dark season of sorrow will slowly soften.
In time you may need to hold me less often.
When Sara’s name gradually brings more smiles than tears,
Content on a shelf, I’ll sit through the years.

And when, by surprise, a hard day blows your way
With arms open wide, I’m just a quick hug away.
So until that wonderful, glorious day when He brings reunion with Sara, face-to-face,
My prayer here and now is to be to you, a tiny reflection of His tender grace!
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If you are interested in a Tender Hugs Bear in honor of a special baby in your life, please email me at infertilitymom@stuffafriend.biz for more information.

I am still having computer problems and am sorry if you have tried to email me and not received a reply over these past several weeks. I should have a new computer by January, so please get in touch with me again then.